Africa’s smartphone market poised for growth

Thursday, 22 June 2017 06:52

The advanced smartphone technology has boosted media consumption allowing an easier access to the global users. (Image source: Africa Studio/Shutterstock)The recent reports have demonstrated that mobile markets in the African region has been showing a steady increase for last few years, with Africa’s smartphone market being aggregated to a total 95.37mn unit in 2016

The International Data Corporation (IDC) has reported that Africa’s smartphone market is increasing at a growth rate of 3.4 per cent per year. More than 215.33mn mobile handsets were shipped in Africa in 2016, which was up 10.1 per cent from 2015.

IDC anticipated that the shipment volume of mobile handsets will grow to 1.52bn in 2017.

According to the recent General Household Survey report, mobiles are mostly used in southern Africa for internet access.

Zenith's Media consumption forecasts 2017, has predicted that the global mobile internet use is expected to account for 26 per cent of global media consumption in 2019, up 19 per cent from 2016.

The report added, “Mobile Internet consumption increased at an average rate of 44 per cent a year between 2010 and 2016, driven by the spread of mobile devices, improvements in technology and greater availability of mobile-adapted content.”

In addition, “The spread of mobile technology has given a boost to overall media consumption by allowing users to access more media, in more places, and at more times than ever before,” Zenith said.

Zenith’s 2017 media consumption forecast report surveyed media consumption in 71 countries around the world, focusing on daily and seasonal patterns of media consumption and tracks the progress of time spent with media from 2010 to 2016, with forecasts to 2019.

According to Zenith, the world will spend an average of 122 minutes per day with mobile internet, compared to spending 10 minutes a day since 2010.

In regards to Africa, IDC has pointed out that the android devices in the Middle East and Africa region is expected to be the fastest growing at yearly 10 per cent growth rate, which will outpace the forecast for worldwide growth of 4.1 per cent.